CORVALLIS — The Oregon State Beavers, a team that could use some playmaking, some confidence and some experience, will get a huge dose of all that Saturday against UCLA.

Flanker James Rodgers, the team's most talented and inspirational player, will make his season debut against the Bruins, according to coach Mike Riley.

"He feels like he's really 100 percent and can play, so I'm all for him,'' Riley said. "He looks fast, catches the ball - he looks like James to me.''

The Beavers also will welcome back tight end Joe Halahuni. The addition of the two seniors should give the OSU offense, last in the Pac-12 in scoring (14.0 points per game), a big lift tangibly and otherwise.

"Especially with that senior leadership on the field and in the huddle,’’ said running back Malcolm Agnew. “You can’t coach that kind of stuff.’’

Agnew was ruled for the UCLA game by Riley on Wednesday because of a hamstring injury. He will be missed, but taking his place is Jordan Jenkins, a former walk-on who is the unit's leader and its most knowledgeable player.

Joe Halahuni

In Rodgers and Halahuni, the Beavers get an injection of field-stretching playmaking ability. The two already have combined for 26 career touchdown catches — or 26 more than the Beavers currently have in 2011.

Each should help the other as the Beavers add multi-dimensional help.

"(In) a perfect world, you’d love to have those major inside threats and those same guys as threats outside because when you configure coverages, you can only double-team so many guys,'' Riley said. "So when you have good threats throughout that front, interior and outside, then you’re at your best.

"And if we can get this thing rolling a little bit, with those guys and making plays, then we’ll be a lot better for it.''

"I'm very happy just to be able to go back out there and play football with my teammates,'' Rodgers said.

Rodgers is fourth all-time at Oregon State in receiving yards (2,064), third in
receptions (177) and holds the school record for all-purpose yards
(5,784), which ranks fourth among active FBS players.

Halahuni, on the watch list for the John Mackey Award, has averaged 13.3 yards on his 66 career catches.

Halahuni replaces Colby Prince in the starting lineup; Rodgers will share time with Brandin Cooks, the true freshman and camp sensation, who has 5 catches for 22.5 yards per game.

"We're going to alternate him with Brandin on a have-to, need-to basis,'' said Riley, who hopes to have Rodgers return kicks at some point this season.

Markus Wheaton (14 catches, 95.5 yards per game) and Jordan Bishop (7, 55.5) are the other starters surrounding redshirt freshman quarterback Sean Mannion, who will make his first career start.

Notes: The OSU-UCLA game will be broadcast on Fox College Sports (Comcast 415) in the
Portland area. It will also be carried on Prime Ticket and Beaver Nation
Online. ...Riley has all but given up on defensive tackle Dominic Glover for the season, it sounds like. "You have to feel like I do - this thing isn't going to happen,'' Riley said. "I'm certainly not lying in bed at night waiting to hear.''